ACT 16-17 Ford Focus RS HD/Race Sprung 6 Pad Clutch Kit

A Focus RS that sees track days, autocross, drag passes or a big-turbo build eventually overheats an organic clutch disc. The symptom is slip that shows up late in a session and goes away once the car cools. ACT FF5-HDG6 is the race-focused kit for the 2016-2017 Focus RS six-speed: a Heavy Duty pressure plate clamping a sprung 6-pad ceramic disc, rated at 640 ft-lb at the crank, with ACT's Streetlite flywheel in the box. It trades street smoothness for heat tolerance and fast engagement.

What the HD race 6-pad clutch does in a Focus RS

The F024 Heavy Duty pressure plate raises clamp load with ACT's heat-treated diaphragm while keeping pedal effort in a range most drivers can live with. The 6240508-1 disc uses six ceramic friction pads instead of a full organic face. Ceramic tolerates far higher temperatures before it fades or glazes, and the smaller pad area gives a sharp bite and quick shifts. ACT keeps a spring center in the hub with wraparound spring windows and thicker retainers, so the disc still damps torsional shock before it reaches the gearbox and the all-wheel-drive system. ACT describes the feel as light to moderate pedal effort with aggressive engagement and recommends it for high horsepower street or race use.

The kit includes the XACT Streetlite flywheel (601020), which ACT states this clutch must be used with, plus an RB009 release bearing and an AT130 alignment tool. The disc is 240 mm (9.4 inch), the input spline is 1 inch, and the kit ships at about 30.1 lb.

Symptoms that point to a race disc

• Slip that appears only after several laps, launches or back-to-back pulls, when the disc is hot
• Engagement point that wanders during a session and returns once the car cools
• Strong burnt friction smell in the pits or paddock
• Glazed, blued or heat-checked surfaces on the previous disc or flywheel when it came out
• Repeated failures of organic street clutches on a car making well above factory torque

How to confirm before you buy

Separate heat fade from simple wear. A worn disc slips cold as well as hot; fade shows up only after heat builds. Log a full-throttle pull early in a session and another late, comparing engine rpm to wheel speed. Rule out hydraulic problems, such as a sinking pedal or a dragging slave cylinder, and oil contamination at the bellhousing. Our slipping diagnosis guide lays out the checks. If the car is mainly a street car, an organic kit such as the FF5-XTSS Xtreme street kit or the FF5-HDSS Heavy Duty street kit will be far easier to drive in traffic.

Fitment

This listing is cataloged for the 2016-2017 Ford Focus RS with the 2.3 liter EcoBoost and six-speed manual. ACT's application chart for FF5-HDG6 also lists the 2018 Focus RS and the 2013-2018 Focus ST manual. It does not fit automatic or dual-clutch Focus models. If your car is a 2018 RS or an ST, or the gearbox has been changed, send the year and VIN and we will confirm before you order. More performance kits are in our rebuild kits department.

Install notes

• Use the included Streetlite flywheel with new bolts torqued to spec. ACT states this kit must be used with the ACT flywheel.
• Center the disc with the AT130 tool and tighten the pressure plate bolts gradually in a star pattern.
• Install the new RB009 bearing and inspect the slave cylinder and line while the gearbox is out.
• Bleed the clutch hydraulics with the brake fluid Ford specifies and confirm full release before driving.
• ACT says its race discs usually need only a few hard slips to lap in the surfaces. Do not overheat the clutch during that first period.
• Expect more chatter on take-off than a street disc, plus some gear rattle at idle from the lighter flywheel.
• If you later want only more clamp load, the ACT F024 Heavy Duty pressure plate is sold on its own.

Is FF5-HDG6 streetable on a Focus RS?

It can be driven on the street, but ACT describes engagement as aggressive and recommends it for high horsepower street or race use. Expect more chatter and less forgiving take-offs than an organic disc.

Does it fit the 2018 Focus RS or the Focus ST?

ACT's chart lists FF5-HDG6 for the 2016-2018 Focus RS and the 2013-2018 Focus ST manual. Our listing is cataloged for the 2016-2017 RS, so send the year and VIN if you want us to confirm a 2018 RS or an ST.

Can I keep my factory flywheel?

No. ACT states this kit must be used with the ACT flywheel, and the XACT Streetlite flywheel (601020) is included.

How much torque does it hold compared with the other ACT Focus kits?

ACT rates FF5-HDG6 at 640 ft-lb. The FF5-HDSS street kit is rated at 500, FF5-XTSS at 582 and the FF5-XTG6 Xtreme race kit at 745 ft-lb.

How do I bed in a 6-pad ceramic disc?

ACT says race discs usually need only a few hard slips to lap in the friction surfaces. Avoid long slipping or overheating the clutch while it beds in.

• Transmission Slipping Diagnosis Guide
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